Anonimity and hiding via the internet (OT)

When I look for things via the internet (parts, information or whatever) it frustrates me to no end to be unable to find where a company is physically located.

In my previous employment as an engineer (that goes back awhile !!) every catalog or other piece of literature (remember that ?) proudly listed a physical address in plain sight. On the internet websites, if an address is listed it is usually well hidden. More times than not there is no physical address listed. Why is that? I realize this doesn't apply to EVERY situation, but I am frustrated by it. Sometimes this concept applies to their phone number also.

I dont have that problem sometimes it just takes a little more searching on their site.

55 50 Ron- My guess is...When you sell crappy made items, you don't want to give out your address so people could find you and physically show up at your place of business to demand a refund or worse.

(quoted from post at 13:24:01 02/05/16) When I look for things via the internet (parts, information or whatever) it frustrates me to no end to be unable to find where a company is physically located.

In my previous employment as an engineer (that goes back awhile !!) every catalog or other piece of literature (remember that ?) proudly listed a physical address in plain sight. On the internet websites, if an address is listed it is usually well hidden. More times than not there is no physical address listed. Why is that? I realize this doesn't apply to EVERY situation, but I am frustrated by it. Sometimes this concept applies to their phone number also.

Click to expand...

Without 'brick and mortar' stores on the internet, the address really means nothing. Most internet businesses do not hold an inventory, they just take an order, relay it to the supplier and the supplier drop ships from their warehouse. That is the main reason they can beat regular stores in price. I ordered an item from a company that quoted delivery in 5 business days....I got it the next day. Obviously the warehouse was very close to me.

This retired engineer agrees 100%. Frequently I will call in order to test out their person to person technique. I attempt to get personally friendly and frequently they relax and give me clues about their business.

Usually the info for address and shipping is at the bottom of the page and in fine print.

Eldon pretty much nailed it.

Take an even bigger company such as Amazon. They are merely a middle-man (an order taker) for many of the items they have listed. An order placed could come from any one of their supplier directly without them physically touching it.

I agree with what you mean not finding a physical address for a company, but showing up at Amazons physical address to return a purchase would likely do you no good, as many items are listed as "sold by ....." others say "sold by.... and fulfilled by Amazon"

Rick

uggg Synchrony bank... you want to talk about HIDDEN.

I use amazon a lot - so I figured what the heck, I'll get one of their credit card cards...

I signed up - got approved - and then nothing... nothing in the mail, they were supposed to send a card and my account info.

THEN - I bought a few items on amazon and didn't realize till later that they were nice enough to change my default payment setting to THEIR card - without me knowing it.

So, I didn't care so much about never hearing back from them - no harm no foul. But now I owed them money.

I challenge anybody to try to contact Synchrony bank without havin an account number.

It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE.

You can NOT speak with a human. Hit 0 all you want - punch in fake numbers - NOTHING works to get an operator.

Time kept passing, they started sending me "you're late on your payment" emails - to which I couldn't respond.

FINALLY one day I managed to get through by way of a walmart web page (I guess they also use synchrony) About 20 transfers and call this numbers later. I FINALLY got a human that could help.

I actually GOT my account number.

It blew my mind how INSANELY difficult it was to get to speak to a person there.

I made my late payment - got them to drop the late charges - and thought I was done.

They then started calling me five times a day to demand my payment...

I'm done with them.

meant to mention that amazon uses synchrony bank for their cards

They don't have a phone or an address, they don't get my business. Was going to order a baby scale to weight my cats a couple of weeks ago. Amazon had it for a good price. Tried to find a number for them, no luck. Finally called the supposed manufacturer of the scale and talked to a very nice lady. Scale showed up about three days later. I will never buy anything from Amazon.

Same way with businesses that advertise on TV (can be car dealers, furniture store, whatever) and the TV station covers a lot of towns and they give no idea what town they are in. Same way with newspaper adds, don't know what town they are in. When the paper or TV covers a large area how do you know what is in a town 50 mile away from you? Even when it is an actuall store or even a restraunt even if they give the town, what street are they on?

Ron I kind of feel the same way. I do agree with some posters that they are just an internet company, email only etc. I to feel they should post a phone and address. I can see private people or private sale may not want to put everything in an ad. You would have some bozo show up at 8pm un announced to look at a car you have for sale.

Try Mozilla/Firefox. Let me know if you get a phone #

Not being a wise guy, but here are the numbers. 1 (888) 280-4331 Amazon customer service.

Credit Cards

Looking for a Synchrony Bank issued credit card? Please call 1-855-220-3806

(quoted from post at 18:37:43 02/05/16) Not being a wise guy, but here are the numbers. 1 (888) 280-4331 Amazon customer service.

Credit Cards

Looking for a Synchrony Bank issued credit card? Please call 1-855-220-3806

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His problem was they never got his account number to him.

Maybe because in this global economy their parent company is now headquartered out of Bhopal, India or some other place and don't want you to know that? Maybe don't want you to know that those cherries at the grocery store are imported from China or Venezuela?

Mark

Waiting for my favorite pizza last night, my favorite old downtown brick-n-mortar store-front pizza place, I picked up the "Garlic Salt" shaker, ..... yep, made in China.